Envelope opener



1', 1 I R n w. HARRISON A} 2,24 7,840

ENVELOPE OPENER Filed Feb.' 29, 1940" awe/WM Patented July 1, 1941 urr srras ram OFFICE ENVELOPE OPENER Richard W. Harrison, Charlestown, Mass.

Application February 29, 1940, Serial No. 321,583

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved construction of cutting device particularly adapted for cutting and opening envelopes.

More particularly, it is an aim of this invention to provide a device through which an envelope may be passed for cutting the envelope adjacent an edge thereof throughout the length of said edge by means of which either a side edge or an end of the envelope may be quickly and easily opened.

Still another aim of the invention is to provide an envelope opener of simple construction, capable of being economically manufactured, which will be practical and eflicient in operation, and which may be constructed so that it will be small in size and light in Weight to enable it to be conveniently carried in a small garment pocket.

Still another aim of the invention is to provide an envelope opener so constructed that it will out only one side of an envelope of conventional thickness, and so designed as to form a gage whereby the envelope will be cut sufliciently close to an edge thereof to prevent damage to the content of the envelope.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric View of another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, the invention comprises an envelope open.- er designated generally 33 having a holder or handle portion 3i provided with a, slot 32, which extends the length of and which opens outwardly of the ends and one side of the holder 3| and which is adapted to receive a portion of an envelope to be passed therethrough lengthwise thereof. The holder or handle portion 3| is also provided with a slot 33, as best seen in Figure 2, which is disposed perpendicularly to the slot 32. Slot 33 extends from one side of the holder 3|, designated 34, into the slot 32. Slot 33, which is disposed longitudinally of the holder 3|, is provided with inwardly converging side edges 35 to provide a restricted opening 36 at the end of the slot 33 which opens into the slot 32. Slot 33 is adapted to receive .a triangular shaped cutting blade 31, two sides of which are sharpened to form cutting edges 38 which converge to a sharpened point 39. Blade 31 is inserted in the slot 33 so that its sharpened end 39 and the portions of the sharpened edges 38, adjacent thereto, extend through the opening 36 and into the slot 32. The upper diverging portion of the slot 33 is provided with a filler 40, or in lieu thereof, a plug, not shown, for securing the blade 31, in the position as seen in Figure 2.

As seen in Figures 2 and 3, the sharpened end 39 of the blade 31 is disposed perpendicularly to the slot 32 and is positioned adjacent to the bottom of the slot 32 and relatively close to the closed side thereof for cutting the upper portion of an envelope which is passed therethrough adjacent to the edge thereof which abuts against the closed side of the slot 32 and to a depth so that the contents of the envelope, not shown, will not be damaged. It will be obvious that the envelope may be inserted through either end of the slot 32 and the envelope may be then moved relatively to the opener or the opener moved relatively to the envelope. It will also be apparent that the position of the point 39 relatively to the slot 32 provides means to insure cutting the envelope adjacent a longitudinal edge or end thereof and thus affords additional means to avoid damaging the contents of the envelope.

Various modifications and changes. in the invention, as illustrated and described, are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, particularly, in that the shape and size of the holder 3| may readily be varied without effecting the construction and operation thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. An envelope opener comprising a holder provided with a slot, said holder having a second slot, converging inwardly thereof, disposed perpendicularly to the first mentioned slot, and communicating with said first mentioned slot at its converging end; a triangular shaped cutting blade constructed and arranged to fit in said second mentioned slot, the two depending edges of said blade being sharpened to form cutting edges and converging to form a point, and said point extending into said first mentioned slot and substantially therethrough.

2. A device as in claim 1, comprising means for sealing the enlarged open end of said last mentioned slot for securing the blade therein and for cooperating with the converging slot for fixedly positioning the cutting edges and point of the blade in a certain position relatively to the bottom and closed side of the slot.

3. An envelope opener comprising a rigid block of suitable material having a horizontal slot opening outwardly of one side and the ends thereof, said block having a second slot in the upper portion thereof disposed longitudinally and perpendicularly thereof and having downwardly converging opposed complementary edge portions, said second slot having an enlarged end opening outwardly of the top of the block and a restricted end opening into said horizontal slot, a triangular shaped blade having two sharpened edges converging to form a sharpened point, said second slot being of a width, transversely,

substantially equal to the thickness of the blade for closely engaging the sides of the blade, and the sharpened edges of the blade being disposed at an angle corresponding to the angle of the converging edge portions of the second slot for engaging said edges to support the blade therein with the converging ends of the sharpened edges and the blade point extending into the horizontal slot; and means for sealing the upper portion of the second slot, above the blade, for Securing the blade, in conjunction with the converging edge portions of the second slot, in a definite position relatively to the bottom and closed side of the horizontal slot.

RICHARD W. HARRISON. 

